http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Bedford Liberal Democrats en-GB Bedford Liberal Democrats http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 Bedford Liberal Democrats 2008-05-16T11:47+01:00 United Kingdom http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000492/new_leader_for_bedford_borough_lib_dems.html Cllr Dave Hodgson is the new leader of Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Group. He succeeds Cllr Michael Headley, who led the group for nine years. Cllr Headley remains the group's Scrutiny Spokesman, as part of a formidable team of spokespersons revealed by the Lib Dems today. 2008-05-09T15:49+01:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000491/anger_as_car_park_users_fined_due_to_ticket_machine_error.html Users of a town centre car park have been left fuming after being slapped with fines thanks to a council error which has made it impossible for the correct ticket to be purchased. Ticket machines at St Peter's Street car park have not been re-programmed correctly following the introduction of new evening parking charges imposed by the borough council. With all tickets becoming invalid at 6pm regardless of the amount paid, many motorists have been hit by penalty notices through no fault of their own, causing anger and confusion. 2008-04-29T09:58+01:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000489/flawed_borough_policies_open_door_to_a_future_of_damaging_development.html Controversial new policies for the future development of Bedford Borough have been branded 'deeply flawed' by Liberal Democrats. The Core Strategy and Rural Issues Plan, passed at last week's meeting of the borough council but opposed by the Liberal Democrats, imposes weak environmental standards on the 17,500 new homes due to be built in the borough by 2021 and could permit over-development and urban sprawl across unsuitable sites. 2008-04-23T18:18+01:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000488/lib_dems_call_for_play_areas_alcohol_ban.html Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have called for all children's play areas to be declared alcohol free zones. The Lib Dems want to see the council use its powers to impose a ban on the consumption of alcohol in play areas in order to make them safer places for children to play. 2008-04-18T18:23+01:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000487/unauthorised_encampment_in_wootton_green_likely_to_be_first_of_many_unless_action_taken_say_lib_dems.html Liberal Democrats have warned that a traveller encampment that appeared at Berry Farm in Wootton Green will be the 'first of many' if the council does not take action to protect the site. Lib Dem Councillors have previously highlighted the need for a height restriction barrier at the Berry Farm car park to prevent such encampments, and are now stepping up their calls for immediate action. The Lib Dems have also criticised Bedford Borough Council for leaving the site for over a week before clearing up the mess left by the encampment. 2008-04-17T17:09+01:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000486/northwest_bedfordshire_villages_lose_evening_transport_lifeline.html Residents in north-west Bedfordshire villages have lost their only evening bus services after the county Council's decision to scrap the HomeHoppa service. The complete withdrawal of the HomeHoppa, which serves 19 villages in the evenings from Monday to Saturday, will leave most rural communities in North Beds with no means of travelling to or from Bedford via public transport after 5.55pm. 2008-04-11T18:53+01:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000485/edf_energy_putting_lives_at_risk.html Liberal Democrat Borough Councillor Charles Royden has reported electricity company EDF to Energywatch for failing to provide a satisfactory service to residents in Brickhill. 2008-04-04T14:58+01:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000484/bedford_and_kempston_mp_votes_for_post_office_closures.html Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have accused Bedford and Kempston Labour MP Patrick Hall of failing to support local services after he voted to support the Government's massive post office closure programme. 2008-03-20T18:10+00:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000483/conservatives_split_three_ways_on_unitary_councils_as_tory_squabbles_extend_to_parliament.html Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservatives' public in-fighting over the important issue of new unitary councils for Bedfordshire. This follows a letter in the local press from Tory Shadow Local Government Minister Bob Neill which contradicts both the squabbling Bedford Borough and Bedfordshire County Council Tory Groups by claiming re-organisation is 'unnecessary.' 2008-03-20T15:30+00:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000482/lib_dems_demand_council_acts_to_save_post_offices.html Bedford Borough council should act to save local post offices from closure, say Liberal Democrats. Bedford Borough Lib Dems have demanded that the Mayor and his Cabinet do more than simply oppose closures and take real action to save vital branches ahead of the announcement in July of the list of local post offices in the set to be shut. The calls follow news of a range of plans by other local authorities to save threatened branches from the government's programme of 2,500 post office closures, including taking over the running of post offices. 2008-03-19T17:20+00:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000479/boroughs_older_streets_on_road_to_ruin.html Older roads in Bedford Borough are not being repaired because the works are too expensive, despite an urgent need for maintenance work and resurfacing. 2008-03-16T06:00+00:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000481/lib_dems_welcome_recycling_choice_for_residents.html Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have welcomed the introduction of orange-lidded bins for recycling collections for those residents who want them. 2008-03-13T17:21+00:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000477/new_figures_reveal_alarming_rise_in_local_home_repossessions.html New figures have revealed an alarming increase in the number of local families losing their homes because of difficulties over mortgage payments. 2008-03-13T09:00+00:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000478/liberal_democrats__committed_to_making_bedford_a_fairtrade_borough.html "As this year's Fairtrade Fortnight drew to a close, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats reaffirmed their commitment to attempts to make Bedford Borough a Fairtrade Borough. The Lib Dems have also repeated their calls for the council to do more to support the volunteer steering group and achieve fairtrade status soon. 2008-03-11T13:25+00:00 http://www.bedfordlibdems.org/news/000475/liberal_democrats_welcome_proposal_to_use_bedford_borough_sites_for_olympics_training.html The Liberal Democrats have welcomed the recommendation that several sites across Bedford Borough should be used as training camps in the run up to the London Olympics in 2012. 2008-03-07T17:36+00:00